Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-03-10

The dead, oppressive silence that followed
his empty laughter made it seem almost arti
fetal Rawlins held his breath and looked
at Clinch. Hale, with the instincts of re-
fined, sensitive man, turned hot with the
embarrassment Clinch should have shown.
For that gentleman, without lifting his eyes
from the fire, and with no apparent change
in his demeanor, lazily asked:
aye didn't ketch the name o. that passen-
ger~
"Naturally, mol For when Guthrie hears
what was said agin him he wouldn't give his
name until hs heard from him"
"And what was said agin himm asked
Clinch musingly.
"What would be said agin man that give
up that sum o money, like a chaw of to-
bacco, for the asking! Why, there were but
three men, as far ez we kin hear, that did the
job. And there were four passengers inside,
armed, and the driver and express messenger
on the box. Six were robbed by threel-they
were a sweet scented lott Reckon they must
hev felt mighty small, for hear they got up
and skedaddled from the station under the
pretext of lookin for the robbers He
laughed again, and the laugh was noisily re-
peated by his five companions at the other
end of the room.
Hale, who had forgotten that the stranger
was only echoing part of his own criticism
of eight hours before, was on the point of
rising with burning cheeks and angry indig-
nation, when the lazily uplifted eve Of
Clinch caught his, and absolutely held him
down with its paralyzing and deadly signif-
canoe. Murder itself seemed to look from
those cruelty quiet and remorseless gray
pupils For a moment he forgot his own
rage in this glimpse of Clinchs implacable
resentment; for moment he felt thrill of
pity for the wretch who had provoked it,
He remained motionless and fascinated in
his chair as the lazy lids closed like sheath
over Clincfi's eyes again Rawlins, who had
probably received the same glance of warn
ing, remained equally still
"They haven't heard the last of it yet, you
bet" continued the infatuated stranger.
"I've got a little statement here for the
newspaper" he added, drawing some papers
from his pocket; "suthin just run Off in
the coach as l came along. reckon it'll
show things up in new light. It's time
there should be some change. All the cuss-
in that's been usually done hez been by the
passengers agin the express and stage COM
pany. Ipropose that the company should
do little cussin' themselves. See? P'r'aps
you don't mind my readin' it to yea It's
just spicy enough to suit them newspaper
chaps"
"Go on" said Col. Clinch quietly.
The man cleared his throat, with the pre-
liminary pose of authorship, and his five
friends, to whom the composition was evil
IDENTIFY not unfamiliar, assumed anticipatory
smiles
II call it Prize Pusillanimous Passen-
gers Sort of runs easy off the tongue, you
know.
ait now appears that the success Of the
late stage coach robbery near the summit was
largely due to the pusillanimity-n to use
more serious word - He stopped and
looked explanatory toward Clinch: "Ye'll
see in mint what I'm gettin' at by that pu-
Va OAAO PoScOAiSSAo bASAtoOAfOo. IL
now transpires that there were only three
robbers who attacked the coach, and that al
though passengers, driver and express mes
senger were fully armed and were double the
number of their assaiants, not q shot was
fired. We mean no reflections upon the we'll
known courage of Yuba Bill, nor the expert
ence and GOODNESS Of Bracy Tibbetts, the
courteous express messenger, both of whom
have since confessed to have been more than
astonished at the Christian and lamblike sub
mission of the insiders Amusing stories of
some laughable yet sickening incidents of the
occasion-such as grown men kneeling in the
road and offering to strip themselves COM
pletely if their lives were only spared; of one
of the passengers hiding under the seat, and
only being dislodged by pulling his coat tails;
of incredible sums promised, and even offers
of mental service for the preservation of their
wretched carcasses-are received with the
greatest gusto; but we are in possession of
facts which may lead to more serious accuse
tons. Although one of the passengers is said
to have lost large sum of money intrusted
to him, while attempting with barefaced
affrontery to establish a rival carrying
business in one of the express companys own
ooaches'-I call that good point He in
applause of his own party. "Dont youl"
ats just h-ll," said Clinch, musingly.
"'Yet the affair." resumed the stranger,
from his manuscript, lis locked up in great
and suspicious mystery. The presence of
JacksonN. Stanner, esq that's mel, special
detective agent to the company, and his staff
in town, is a guaranty that the mystery win
be thoroughly probed.' He'd to put that in
to please the company" he again deprecat-
ingly explained. I'VE are indebted to this
gentleman for the facts"
1.-THE pint you want to make in that article
said Clinch, rising, but still directing his face
and his conversation to the fire, "ez far ez
ken see, ez that no three men kin back down
six unless they be towards, or are willing to
be backed down"
sThat's the point what start from" re-
joined Stanner, stand work mp. leave it to
you eff it amt SOP
II can't say ez agree with you,n said the
colonel dryly. He turned, and still without
lifting his eyes walked toward the door Of
the room which Zenobia had entered. The
key was on the inside, but Clinch gently
opened the door, removed the key, and clos
ing the door again locked it from his side
Hale and Rawlins felt their hearts beat
quickly; the others followed Clinch's slow
movements and downcast mien with amused
from the room and putting the keys in his
pocket, Clinch returned to the fire. For the
first time he lifted his eyes; the man nearest
him shrank back In terror.
lam the hnanIa be said slUwly, taking de-